After enjoying a 5-1 win against Al Tai, work continues for Al Nassr. Luis Castro and Co. will now turn their focus toward their mid-week away league fixture against Abha on Wednesday. However, just days before the match, there is bittersweet news regarding the team’s injury. While there’s optimism surrounding the imminent return of Abdullah Al Khaibari and Sultan Al Ghannam, the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo from group training sessions adds a layer of concern ahead of the crucial match.

Speaking of the Portuguese superstar first, the report comes from Saudi Arabian journalist Ali Al-Enezi. The reason why Ronaldo missed today’s training is not because he is suffering from an injury, but rather because he was content with recovery exercises. Training alone provides CR7 with a chance to recuperate from fatigue due to the previous fixture, where he netted a perfect hat trick for his side. In fact, this step from Al Nassr’s coaching staff seems to be a pragmatic one. 

With only three days to prepare for Wednesday’s match against Abha following their game against Al Tai, the Knights of the Najd will once again hit the road to take on Damac on Saturday. Then again, just three days later, they will face Al Hilal in the Saudi Super Cup. These back-to-back fixtures would require Luis Castro and Co. to sort out the game time of all the players, especially that of Ronaldo. As they are in the last stretch of their title chase, there is no room for mistakes. While they continue to prepare Ronaldo, two crucial stars are also back in the training center. 

While Cristiano Ronaldo recovers, two Al Nassr stars give huge boost to Luis Castro

Per reports, right-back Sultan Al Ghannam and midfielder Abdullah Al Khaibari participated in training today. Both have successfully recovered from injuries after missing the Al Tai clash. However, there is yet to be an update regarding center-back Abdulelah Al-Amri, who also missed the previous clash alongside the duo. While it remains to be seen if Castro will feature the two against Abha, the medical team has issued a warning concerning Al Ghannam.

READ MORE: Two of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Teammates at Risk of Sale as Luis Castro Calls for Changes Amid Al Nassr’s Saudi League Title Chase- Reports

The defender, who has scored 2 goals and provided 9 assists in over 25 appearances across all competitions, may not play the full 90 minutes against Damac. Doctors have chosen not to rush Al Ghannam’s return so that he can be fully fit for the Al Hilal match. This implies that he may play less or may not even participate in the upcoming clash. Nevertheless, with the title race getting heated up, Luis Castro has a big duty on his shoulders to keep his players as fit as possible.